VISIT to Aalto University
By: Skirmante Mozuriunaite, Associate Professor, VILNIUS TECH University
The NORDTEK MOBILITY PROGRAM plays a key role in fostering academic career development and fostering collaborative ties between universities and researchers. Supported by the Nordtek mobility scholarship, Skirmante Mozuriunaite from VILNIUS TECH University spent the autumn semester of 2023 at Aalto University.
Since 2020, Skirmante Mozuriunaite has been actively involved in teaching at the Master’s Programme in Urban Studies and Planning (USP), facilitated by Professor Anssi Joutsiniemi at Aalto University. The NORDTEK scholarship has been instrumental in sustaining and nurturing this collaborative effort.
During the teaching visit at Aalto University, Skirmante Mozuriunaite made substantial contributions to the interdisciplinary course „Urban Challenge Studio 1“, a collaborative teaching between Helsink
i and Aalto University. This studio focused on nurturing students’ professional competencies and a deep understanding of the urban planning process in Finland, equipping them to tackle urban development challenges. Skirmante Mozuriunaite conducted lectures on topics such as “Urban Design Tools,” “Housing Typologies,” and “Fixing Urban Sprawl,” guiding students in employing interdisciplinary approaches by managing these challenges.
Students were engaged in designing projects based in locations such as Perkka, Ruukinranta, Laajalahti, and Leppävaara in the Helsinki Metropolitan area. Skirmante Mozuriunaite’s consultations with student groups by sharing her professional experience enabled students with a comprehensive grasp of urban design principles and practical insights into the daily challenges of urban planners globally.
The collaboration between Aalto and VILNIUS TECH has not only yielded successful outcomes at the doctoral and scientific levels but has also led to a series of impactful exchanges. For instance, in July 2023, Anssi Joutsiniemi from Aalto University delivered a lecture at VILNIUS TECH PhD Summer School on “The Challenges of Academic Writing.”
My gratitude to NORDTEK for enabling and nurturing this scientific and academic partnership throughout the second and third cycles. The shared research interests of both universities have laid the groundwork for joint research projects, promising continued collaboration in the future.
Skirmantė Mozūriūnaitė
VILNIUS TECH